Sunday, November 2, 2014

Stanley Steward's Border Shed Part 2

Stanley uses this human shampoo, often used on school children with lice, to wash his birds. Its natural repellent keeps away mites.

Each of his cages has heating under the bottom tray. Once a bird is washed he places them in a toilet paper cardboard (larger than the US ones), wraps in aluminum foil and lays them on the warm cage floor. In a bit they dry and escape.

Stanley uses this calcium product in his water starting in February for four days a week.

After seeing his birds, Stanley invited us into his home.

May, his wife, was ready and offered us a cuppa tea and sandwiches and sweets.

As we ate and visited, I complimented him on his organization and on how very healthy his birds appear. Meeting Stanley and seeing his shed was a wonderful treat for me!

As we chatted, I ask him for his egg food recipe. It is equal parts sausage rusk/dry cous cous plus two parts water (soak and stir). Add 1/2 cup dry nestling food, he uses Deli Nature 17.5% protein and 1/4 cup Siskin Finch seed mix and last add one mashed egg. Feed very small amount once a week for conditioning starting in February. He also uses a little drop of wheat germ oil to coat millet. Everything Stanley does is in moderation. Wish I had his portion control! He also feeds broccoli once a week.

I also ask him his most astonishing bird accomplishment. He responded that he actually hatched two buff border hens from a double yolk egg! Wow!

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After eating the delicious food, I roamed around looking at pictures on the walls and two immediately caught my eye. First in the hall was this memorabilia, his first Best Novice Win and in the living room hung a large original painting of his mother Ethel Hoey when she was young. It was painted in the early 1920s. Her eyes follow you anywhere in the room.

After a wonderful experience, it was time to leave. As we approached our car, I took this shot of Belfast from his yard.

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About Me

My first canary memory was early childhood as my mother raised about 100 canaries each year. During the breeding season, she was always finding a young chick which she said needed hand feeding. I would use a toothpick to stuff its crop with eggfood. It never occurred to me that each time it was a different chick! I still have a weakness for hand feeding although I rarely do it as the mothers food is far superior. When I was 16, I adopted an elderly "grandmother" and she raised German rollers. I would sit for hours and listen to her green roller singers. I banded my first birds in 1980. I achieved master breeder exhibitor status in color-bred canaries and German Rollers.
I became a judge and hold judging credentials from the Central States Roller Canary, National Colorbred, Stafford Canary, North American Border and Old Varieties Canary Associations. I have judged shows all over the US including Puerto Rico and Canada.
My book "The Complete Canary Handbook, Canary Tales" is in its 14th edition and sells worldwide. In a typical year, I breed around 150 canaries. My current aviary includes German Rollers, Borders, Staffords, and Colorbreds.